Refrigerator having dispenser

ABSTRACT

A refrigerator may be provided with a dispenser which includes a nozzle pipe; a light source that radiates ultraviolet light from one end of the nozzle pipe to an inner space of the nozzle pipe, a window that is provided between the one end of the nozzle pipe and the light source, and a liquid supplying hose barb connected to the nozzle pipe via an elbow. Liquid exiting the elbow swirls as ultraviolet light is irradiated onto the liquid.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

This application is a Continuation Application of prior U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 16/551,027 filed Aug. 26, 2019, which claimspriority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to Korean Patent Application No.10-2019-0014116 filed in Korea on Feb. 1, 2019, and the disclosure ofwhich is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND 1. Field

The present disclosure relates to a refrigerator having a dispenser.

2. Background

A dispenser that may dispense water and ice may be installed in the doorof a refrigerator for user convenience. In stand alone water purifiers,enough space is allocated for a dispenser. However, in a refrigeratorhaving a water purifier therein, a dispenser may need to have a compactstructure because the depth of the door may be narrow in the front-reardirection of the door.

Additionally, a pipe or a hose through which purified water flows maybecome contaminated, or bacteria may breed in the pipe or hose as timepasses. The pipe or hose may need to be replaced with a new oneperiodically. Accordingly, the dispenser in the door of a refrigeratormay have a structure that may be readily maintained and repaired.

The cycle of maintaining and repairing the dispenser may be lengthenedto reduce the burden of maintaining and repairing the dispenser. Inpatent document 1, structures of a water purifier and a waterdischarging member of a dispenser installed in the general waterpurifier are disclosed. The water purifier periodically sterilizes thewater discharging member that is placed at a boundary between the innerspace and outer space of the water purifier using ultraviolet light.

However, the water discharging member is not adequate for the dispenserof a refrigerator that may not have enough space required for installingthe water discharging member. A ultraviolet light-emitting diode (UVLED) that radiates ultraviolet light should not be exposed to water.Accordingly, the UV LED that is installed in the water dischargingmember should be prevented from contacting water. Further, the waterdischarging member needs to have a structure that may be easilymanufactured and that may definitely seal the UV LED to prevent waterfrom invading the UV LED.

Ultraviolet light that is radiated from a UV LED has a peak wavelengthadequate for eradicating bacteria that inhabit in the pipe through whichpurified water flows. Further, ultraviolet light is preferably radiatedonto all the inner wall surfaces of the water discharging member, whichcontact water.

(Patent Document 1) Korean Laid-Open Publication No. 10-2018-0085145

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the followingdrawings in which like reference numerals refer to like elements, andwherein:

FIG. 1 is a front view illustrating a refrigerator according to animplementation;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a dispenser housing that isinstalled in a door of the refrigerator;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view illustrating a water dischargingmember that is installed in the dispenser housing in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the waterdischarging member in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the waterdischarging member in FIG. 3 that is seen from a lower portion thereof;

FIG. 6 is a lateral sectional view illustrating the water dischargingmember in FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a plan view illustrating the water discharging member in FIG.3 in which a light-source installing part, a window member, and asealing member are omitted;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged bottom view illustrating a portion of a dispenserhousing in which a water discharging member is installed;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view illustrating a portion cut along line A-A inFIG. 8; and

FIG. 10 is an enlarged bottom view illustrating a dispenser housing inwhich a water discharging member is installed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIG. 1, the outer shape of a refrigerator 1 according toimplementations may be defined by a cabinet that forms a storage space,and doors 20, 30 that open and close the storage space. The inside ofthe cabinet may be divided into an upper portion and a lower portion,and a refrigerating compartment may be formed in the upper portion ofthe cabinet while a freezer compartment may be formed in the lowerportion of the cabinet. The inside of the cabinet may also be dividedinto a left portion and a right portion, and a refrigerating compartmentand a freezer compartment respectively may be formed in the left portionand the right portion of the cabinet.

The door may include a refrigerating compartment door 20 and a freezercompartment door 30. The refrigerating compartment door 20 and freezercompartment door 30 may each be rotatably installed and may open andclose the refrigerating compartment and freezer compartmentrespectively.

The refrigerating compartment door 20 may include a pair of doors 21, 22that open and close the refrigerating compartment in the upper portionof the cabinet 10, i.e., a left refrigerating compartment door 21 and aright refrigerating compartment door 22. The freezer compartment door 30may include a pair of doors 31, 32 that open and close the freezercompartment in the lower portion of the cabinet 10, i.e., the leftfreezer compartment door 31 and the right freezer compartment door 32.However, implementations of the present disclosure may be applied to adispenser installed in all types of doors of refrigerators regardless ofthe shapes and structures of the doors.

The left refrigerating compartment door 21 may include an ice maker 25on the inner surface thereof. The ice maker 25, which may be a devicefor making and storing ice by means of automatic water supply, may beprovided in a thermally insulated space formed on the rear surface ofthe left refrigerating compartment door 21.

The left refrigerating compartment door 21 may include a dispenser 23 onthe front surface thereof. The dispenser 23 may dispense ice that ismade by the ice maker 25, and/or purified water. Ice or water may bedispensed according to an external input of the user.

The second display 24 may show the state where the dispenser 23 and therefrigerator 1 operate and may be used for inputting the operation ofthe dispenser and the refrigerator. When the right refrigeratingcompartment door 22 does not include a first display 41, the seconddisplay may perform functions of the first display 41.

The right refrigerating compartment door 22 may include an opening 220at the center thereof, and the opening 220 may include a door basket onthe inner side thereof. Additionally, the right refrigeratingcompartment door 22 may include a sub door 40 that opens and closes theopening 220. One lateral end of the sub door 40 may be rotatablyhinge-coupled to the right refrigerating compartment door 22. The usermay open and close the sub door 40 to access the door basket.

The opening 220 may include a first display 41 at a lower end of theopening 220. The first display 41 may display an operational state ofthe refrigerator, and the user may manipulate and input an operation ofthe refrigerator 1.

The sub door 40 may include a visible part 42 that is used to see theinside of the door basket. Thus, with the sub door 40 closed, the insideof the door basket may be seen through the visible part 42. Arefrigerator without the sub door 40 may not include the first display41, and the second display 24 may perform functions of the first display41.

Referring to FIG. 2, the dispenser 23 may include a dispenser housing 50that is installed in the door 21. The dispenser housing 50 may include amain-wall member 52 that is parallel with the surface of the door. Thesecond display 24 may be built into a space at the front of themain-wall member 52. An ice-transporting-device installing space 53 inwhich an ice transporting device is installed may be provided in spaceat the rear of the main-wall member 52. The ice transporting device maytransport ice that is produced and stored by the ice maker 25 to adischarging part (or discharge funnel) 54. The discharge funnel 54 mayhave a shape the surface area of which becomes narrower toward the lowerportion of the discharge funnel 54.

The discharge funnel 54 may include a bottom-surface member 55 thatextends horizontally in the lower end portion thereof. Thebottom-surface member 55 may include a portion that extends toward thefront of the discharge funnel 54, and a nozzle supporting part (ornozzle support tube) 551 may be provided in this portion.

The discharge funnel 54 may be provided further backward than the nozzlesupport tube 551. Accordingly, the upper space of the nozzle supporttube 551 may be narrow and may be larger in the left-right directionthan in the front-rear direction.

The nozzle support tube 551 may include a water discharging member 70.The water discharging member 70 may be an outlet through which purifiedwater is discharged. The user may place a container in the lower portionof the discharge funnel 54 of the dispenser to receive ice or place acontainer in the lower portion of the water discharging member 70 thatis arranged in front of the discharge funnel 54 to receive water.

Referring to FIGS. 3 to 7, the water discharging member 70 may connectwith a hose 60 that is supplied with water. The hose 60 may connect witha water tank or may directly connect with a faucet via a purifyingfilter. The end portion of the hose 60 may be fixed to the waterdischarging member 70 by a clamp 62.

The water discharging member 70 may include a nozzle part (or nozzle) 71and a light-source installing part (or light-source bracket) 77. Thenozzle 71 may discharge water supplied through the hose 60. Thelight-source bracket 77 may include an ultraviolet-light source 80 thatsterilizes the nozzle 71.

The inner space of the nozzle 71 and the light-source bracket 77 may bespatially divided by sealing a sealing member or seal 87. Because waterflows in the nozzle 71 and the light-source bracket 77 includes theultraviolet-light source, the water that flows in the nozzle 71 may notenter the light-source bracket 77. Ultraviolet light radiated from thelight source 80 of the light-source bracket 77 may pass through a windowor transparent plate 85 and may be radiated into the nozzle 71. Thewindow 85 may alternatively be referred to as a lens.

The nozzle 71 may include a water-supplying-part connecting pipe or barb72 that connects with the hose 60, a nozzle pipe 75 that connects withthe water-supplying-part connecting barb and guides water such that thewater is discharged, and a first-portion accommodating part (or windowpocket or lower groove) 76 that accommodates at least a part of thewindow 85 and the seal 87. The window pocket 76 may be awindow-lower-portion accommodating part that accommodates lower portionsof the window 85 and the seal 87.

The light-source bracket 77 may include a second-portion accommodatingpart (or seal pocket or upper groove) 78 that connects with the windowpocket 76 and that accommodates a second portion of the window 85 andthe seal 87. The nozzle 71 and the light-source bracket 77 may beseparately manufactured and then coupled.

The water-supplying hose barb 72 may include a concave-convex part (orrib) 722 on an outer surface thereof along the perimeter thereof. Thehose 60 may have an inner diameter that is smaller that of an outerdiameter of a protruding portion of the rib 722 and may include amaterial having a certain level of elasticity.

The water-supplying hose barb 72 may be fitted into the hose 60 at anend portion of the hose 60, and, accordingly, the diameter of the hose60 that faces the protruding portion of the rib 722 may be extended.Additionally, the clamp 62 may be provided around the outer perimeter ofthe hose 60 and fitted into the water-supplying hose barb 72. The hose60 may be fitted between the inner circumferential surface of the boreof the clamp 62 and the protruding portion of the rib 722 and stronglycompressed.

The water discharging member 70 may be sterilized with ultraviolet lightof the light source 80 continuously and/or periodically. Accordingly,the water discharging member 70 may not need to be replaced frequently.Unlike the water discharging member, the hose 60 may need to be replacedfrequently. The water-supplying hose barb 72 and the clamp 62 may simplyconnect and separate the hose 60 and the water discharging member 70 anddefinitely seal the same.

The water-supplying hose barb 72 may include a flange 73 that radiallyextends at an inner end of the lengthwise direction thereof. The flange73 may have a circular shape. The flange 73 may properly regulate alength at which the water-supplying hose barb 72 is inserted into thehose 60. In other words, the user may insert the water-supplying hosebarb 72 into the hose 60 until an end portion of the hose 60 contactsthe flange 73.

The water-supplying hose barb 72 may be connected to a detouring part(or elbow) 74 with the flange 73 between the water-supplying-partconnecting pipe and the detouring part. The water-supplying hose barb 72may connect with the nozzle 75 through the elbow 74. As in FIG. 7, anaxis (P) that passes the center of the water-supplying hose barb 72 andthe elbow 74 may be arranged so as not to meet with and to avoid acentral axis (O) of the nozzle 75. In other words, the two axes (O, P)may be orthogonal to each other.

Additionally, the axis (P) may be provided outside an inner area of thenozzle 75. The elbow 74 may connect with the nozzle 75 in a way thatcontacts the perimeter of the nozzle 75, and the inner space of theelbow 74 may connect with the inner space of the nozzle 75 so as tocommunicate with the same. The axis (P) may be inclined backward andupward from the nozzle 75.

The elbow 74 may allow the water supplied through the water-supplyinghose barb 72 to the nozzle 75 to flow along the perimeter of the innerwall surface of the nozzle 75 like a swirl so as not to be directlydischarged toward the center of the nozzle 75. Accordingly, flow of thewater discharged out of the water discharging member may be stabilized.Additionally, a below-described laminar flow protrusion 751 may turn theswirl into laminar flow. Thus, water may be stably discharged.

The axis (P) may be inclined with respect to a surface perpendicular tothe central axis (O) of the nozzle 75 in the lengthwise directionthereof. In other words, the axis (P) may be inclined downward towardthe nozzle 75. A gradient of the axis (P) with respect to the slope maybe 20 to 40 degrees. Thus, water may not stagnate in the water-supplyinghose barb 72. The gradient of the axis (P) may allow the water suppliedthrough the water-supplying hose barb 72 to be supplied to the nozzle 75due to the kinetic energy of a downward motion. Water may not be left inthe nozzle 75 because of the swirl and the kinetic energy of downwardmotion.

The nozzle 75 may extend along a vertical direction. The nozzle 75 mayinclude a funnel part 753 and a small diameter part or space 754. Thefunnel part 753 may be provided in the upper portion of the nozzle 75while the small diameter part 754 may be provided in the lower portionof the nozzle 75. The small diameter part 754 may connect with a lowerportion of the funnel part 753. The funnel part 753 may define a funnelspace and the small diameter part 754 may define a small diameter orcylindrical space. The funnel part 753 and small diameter part 754 mayalternatively be referred to as first and second portions or sections ofthe nozzle 75.

The elbow 74 may connect to the funnel part 753. The funnel part 753 mayhave a shape the inner diameter of which becomes smaller toward thelower portion thereof. Additionally, the funnel part 753 may have ashape the outer diameter of which becomes smaller toward the lowerportion thereof.

The small diameter part 754 may have a pipe or cylindrical shape. Theouter edge and inner edge of the upper end portion of the small diameterpart 754 may have shapes corresponding to those of the outer edge andinner edge of the lower end portion of the funnel part 753.

The funnel part 753 may have a cone or funnel shape while the smalldiameter part 754 may have a circular pipe shape. The inner diameter andouter diameter of the small diameter part 754 may correspondrespectively to the inner diameter and outer diameter of the lower endportion of the funnel part 753.

A laminar flow protrusion or vane 751 that protrudes inward to thecenter (O) of the small diameter part 754 and that extends in thelengthwise direction of the small diameter part 754 may be provided inthe upper portion of the small diameter part 754, i.e., a portionadjacent to the funnel part 753. A plurality of laminar flow protrusions751 may be radially provided. In implementations, four laminar flowprotrusions 751 may be provided at 90-degree intervals.

The water supplied from the water-supplying hose barb 72 to the nozzle75 through the elbow 74 may move downward while hovering in the funnelpart 753 and may be collected in the small diameter part 754. The watercoming into the small diameter part 754 may be turned into stablelaminar flow by the laminar flow protrusion 751.

The laminar flow protrusion 751 may be provided near the upper endportion of the small diameter part 754 but may not extend to the lowerend portion of the small diameter part 754. Accordingly, water thatseparately flows by the laminar flow protrusion 751 may be gatheredagain in the lower end portion of the small diameter part 754 anddischarged, thereby making it possible to stabilize flow of water thatis supplied to the user through the other end of the lower end portionof the nozzle pipe 75.

The swirling flow may lengthen a period of time for which the waterflows in the nozzle pipe 75. Water may be directly sterilized when thelight source 80 is turned on while water is discharged.

The window pocket 76 may connect to the upper portion of the nozzle 75,i.e., the upper portion of the funnel part 753. The window pocket 76 maydefine a square cross section including an inner cross section of theupper end portion of the funnel part 753.

The window pocket 76 may include a window-bottom-surface supportingsurface 761 that extends outward from the upper end portion of thefunnel part 753, and a window-lateral-surface-lower-portion supportingsurface 762 that extends upward from the outer edge of thewindow-bottom-surface supporting surface 761. The window-bottom-surfacesupporting part 761 (first-surface supporting surface) may support afirst surface 851 (lower surface) of the window member 85 While thewindow-lateral-surface-lower-portion supporting surface 762(lateral-surface-first-portion supporting surface) may support the lowerportion of the lateral surface 853 of the window member 85.

A sealing protrusion 7611 may protrude upward from thewindow-bottom-surface supporting surface 761. The sealing protrusion7611 may have a square shape that is smaller than the window-lateralsurface-lower-portion supporting surface 762 and that is larger than theupper end portion of the funnel part 753 (ref. FIG. 7). The sealingprotrusion 7611 may be provided near the nozzle 75 in the windowaccommodating part 76, 78. Thus, water in the nozzle 75 may be preventedfrom leaking into the light-source bracket 77 from the inlet of the pathwhere water enters the elbow 74. A square edge of the sealing protrusion7611 may be rounded so as to prevent a below-described sealing member 87from being torn.

The window-lateral-surface-lower-portion supporting surface 762 mayinclude a lower arranging member (or tab guide) 763 on the outer surfacethereof. The tab guide 763 may be provided in an area opposite to thearea where the water-supplying-hose barb 72 is placed. Accordingly, thewater discharging member 70 may be placed in the front-rear direction ina compact manner. The tab guide 763 may be engaged with abelow-described upper arranging member (or tab) 783 of the light-sourcebracket 77 so as to determine a direction in which the nozzle 71 and thelight-source bracket 77 are assembled.

A lower engaging protrusion (or lip) 764 may protrude upward from thewindow-lateral-surface-lower-portion supporting surface 762. The lowerengaging protrusion 764 may have a shape that is complementary to thatof a below-described upper engaging protrusion 784 and may be engagedwith the upper engaging protrusion.

The elbow 74 may connect with one lateral surface and the front surfaceof the nozzle pipe 75 while encircling the same. Referring to FIG. 7,the center (O) of the nozzle pipe 75 may be arranged slightly backwardwith respect to the center of the window pocket 76. In other words, theelbow 74 may be provided slightly forward with respect to the center ofthe window pocket 76 while the nozzle pipe 75 may be disposed slightbackward with respect the center of the window pocket 76. Accordingly, anozzle member may be placed in the front-rear direction in a compactmanner.

A light source 80 may be installed in the light-source bracket 77. Thelight source 80 may include a substrate 81 that has the shape of a longrectangular plate, a UV LED 83 that is mounted onto the lower surface ofone side of the substrate 81, and a connector 82 that is mounted ontothe upper surface of the other side of the substrate 81. A power cablethat supplies electric power to the UV LED 83 may connect to theconnector 82.

The UV LED 83 may have the shape of a chip. A first lens may beintegrally provided in the UV LED 83. The first lens may properly adjustradiation angles of ultraviolet light that is radiated from the UV LED83.

A wavelength of 253 nm of ultraviolet light may have excellentsterilizing power. However, implementations may be focused onsterilizing bacteria that can breed in a space where water flows.Accordingly, a peak wavelength of ultraviolet light having excellentsterilizing power may be radiated to bacteria.

Ultraviolet light radiated from the UV LED 83 may have a peak wavelengthof 265 nm to 275 nm and may be deep ultraviolet (UVC) light that have apeak wavelength of 270 nm. DNA of E. coli O157:H7 (ATCC 43894), B.subtilis spore (ATCC 6633), and B. MS2 phage (ATCC 15597-B1) that may bebacteria inhabiting in a damp environment have a sensitivity toultraviolet light having a wavelength of 270 nm. Additionally, whenultraviolet light is emitted having a wavelength near 270 nm, electricenergy may be efficiently converted into deep ultraviolet light (UVC) inthe UV LED. Thus, when ultraviolet light radiated from the UV LED has apeak wavelength of 270 nm, bacteria may be effectively sterilized.Additionally, unlike usual ultraviolet lamps, the UV LED may have a highdegree of intensity of ultraviolet radiation near a peak wavelength.Thus, with the UV LED 83 that radiates ultraviolet light having a peakwavelength of 270 nm, bacteria may be more efficiently sterilized.

The substrate 81 may be fixed to a substrate fixing part (or substratebase) 771 of the light-source bracket 77. The substrate base 771 mayinclude a space having a rectangular shape that corresponds to the shapeof the substrate 81. The substrate base 771 may extend horizontally withrespect to the central axis (O) of the nozzle pipe 75 in a directionopposite to the direction where the water-supplying-part connecting pipe72 is provided. In other words, the substrate base 771 and the waterhose barb 72 may oppositely extend with respect to the nozzle pipe 75.

The substrate base 771 may extend from the nozzle pipe 75 in any one ofthe left and right directions while the water hose barb 72 may extend inthe other direction. Accordingly, the light source 80 may be integrallyinstalled in the water discharging member 70 while the length of thewater discharging member in the front-rear direction is maintained in acompact manner.

The substrate base 771 may include a space that has the shape of agroove and that may accommodate the substrate, and a fixing protrusion772 so as to encircle at least a part of the space. The fixingprotrusion 772 may support a lateral surface of the substrate 81.

The fixing protrusion 772 may further include, on an inner surfacethereof, a hook shape that guides the substrate 81 such that thesubstrate is inserted into the substrate base 771 and that prevents thesubstrate 81 from escaping from the substrate base 771.

A light passing hole 773 may be provided in a portion of thelight-source bracket 77, which faces the UV LED. The light passing hole773 may be provided on the floor surface of the substrate base 771. TheUV LED 83 may be accommodated in the light passing hole 773 and may facedownward in the state where the substrate 81 is installed in thesubstrate base 771. The window 85 and the inner space of the nozzle pipe75 may be seen from the UV LED 83 through the light passing hole 773.

A diameter of the funnel 753 of the nozzle pipe 75 may become largertoward the upper portion thereof, i.e., toward the UV LED. Accordingly,the nozzle pipe 75 may receive a large amount of ultraviolet radiationin the inner space thereof.

The light passing hole 773 may include a seal pocket or upper groove 78(second-portion accommodating part) around the perimeter thereof, whichmay extend downward from the bottom surface of the substrate base 771.The seal pocket 78 and the window pocket or lower groove 76 mayconstitute a window accommodating part. In other words, the windowaccommodating part may be divided into the first-portion accommodatingpart 76 that connects with the nozzle pipe 75, and the second-portionaccommodating part 78 that connects with the light-source bracket 77.

The seal bracket 78 may include a window-upper-surface supportingsurface 781 (second-surface supporting surface) that may form aperipheral portion of the light passing hole 773 on the bottom surfaceof the substrate base 771, and a window-lateral-surface-upper-portionsupporting surface 782 (lateral-surface-second-portion supportingsurface) that may extend downward from the edge of thesecond-window-upper-surface supporting surface 781 on the bottom surfaceof the substrate base 771.

The window-upper-surface supporting surface 781 (second-surfacesupporting surface) may support a second surface 852 (upper surface) ofthe window member 85. The window-lateral-surface-upper-portionsupporting surface 782 (lateral-surface-second-portion supportingsurface) may support the upper portion of a lateral surface 853 of thewindow member 85.

The window-lateral-surface-upper-portion supporting surface 782 mayinclude an upper arranging member (or tab) 783 on the outer surfacethereof. The upper arranging member 783 may connect to thewindow-lateral-surface-upper-portion supporting surface 782 and/or thebottom surface of the substrate base 771 that is adjacent to thewindow-lateral-surface-upper-portion supporting surface. The upperarranging member 783 may be provided in an area opposite to the areawhere the water-supplying hose barb 72 is placed and in a positioncorresponding to the lower arranging member 763.

According to embodiments, the upper arranging member 783 may have theshape of a protrusion that extends downward while the lower arrangingmember 763 may have the shape of a groove that accommodates theprotrusion. In other words, the upper arranging member 783 and the lowerarranging member 763 may have a complementary shape.

The upper arranging member 783 and the lower arranging member 763 maydetermine a direction where the nozzle 71 and the light-source bracket77 are assembled. In other words, when the window pocket 76 and the sealpocket 78 are coupled such that the upper arranging member 783 and thelower arranging member 763 are engaged with each other, thewater-supplying hose barb 72 and the light-source bracket 77 may extendand be arranged in directions opposite to each other with respect to thenozzle pipe 75.

Additionally, to prevent the nozzle part and the light-source installingpart from being assembled incorrectly, when the window pocket 76 and theseal pocket 78 are arranged so as to face each other and approach eachother in the state where the upper arranging member 783 and the lowerarranging member 763 do not meet each other, at least one of the upperarranging member 783 and the lower arranging member 763 may interferewith the other such that surfaces of the window pocket 76 and the sealpocket 78 are prevented from being contacted.

The window accommodating parts 76, 78 may have the shape of a square.Accordingly, the window accommodating parts may be engaged with eachother largely in four directions. The window pocket 76 and the sealpocket 78 may be exactly engaged with each other only when the windowaccommodating parts are engaged in one correct direction.

The window pocket 76 may be integrally formed with the nozzle 71 whilethe seal pocket 78 may be integrally formed with the light-sourcebracket 77. Divided portions between the window pocket 76 and the sealpocket 78 may be bonded with each other.

The window-lateral-surface-upper-portion supporting surface 782 mayinclude an upper engaging protrusion (or lip) 784 (second engagingprotrusion) that protrudes downward from thewindow-lateral-surface-upper-portion supporting surface. Any one of theupper engaging protrusion 784 and lower engaging protrusion 764 mayencircle the other. According to embodiments, the upper engagingprotrusion 784 may encircle the lower engaging protrusion 764.Conversely, the lower engaging protrusion 764 may encircle the upperengaging protrusion 784.

The surface of the lower end of the upper engaging protrusion 784 maycontact the window-lateral-surface-lower-portion supporting surface 762(ref. w1). The surface of the upper end of the lower engaging protrusion764 may contact the window-lateral-surface-upper-portion supportingsurface 782 (ref. w2). The lateral surfaces of the upper engagingprotrusion 784 and the lower engaging protrusion 764 may contact eachother (ref. w3).

The water discharging member may be bonded with at least one of asurface (w2) where the surface of the distal end of the first engagingprotrusion 764 and the seal pocket 78 face each other, a surface (w1)where the surface of the distal end of the second engaging protrusion784 and the window pocket 76 face each other, and a surface (w3) wherethe lateral surface of the first engaging protrusion 764 and the lateralsurface of the second engaging protrusion 784 face each other. Thebonded surface may be ultrasonic-welded.

An inclined weld surface 785 may be provided on any one of the latersurfaces of the first engaging protrusion 764 and the second engagingprotrusion 784 that face each other. The inclined weld surface 785 maybe welded in the step of ultrasonic welding. In embodiments, theinclined weld surface 785 may be provided on the lateral surface of thesecond engaging protrusion 784. While the inclined weld surfacetemporarily melts, the inclined weld surface may spread into the gapsbetween the surfaces (w1, w2, and w3), and the surfaces (w1, w2, and w3)may be firmly welded.

A window or transparent plate 85 may be accommodated in the windowaccommodating part 76, 78. The window 85 may have a size that is smallerthan that of a space defined by the window accommodating part 76, 78.That is, the space defined by the window accommodating part 76, 78 mayhave a shape that corresponds to that of the window member and may belarger than that of the window member.

The window accommodating part 76, 78 may include a supporting surface761, 762, 781, 782 that face the window member accommodated in thewindow accommodating part. A seal 87 may be interposed between thewindow 85 and the supporting surface 761, 762, 781, 782 of the windowaccommodating part 76, 78. The seal 87 may have a thickness that isgreater than the gap between the supporting surface 761, 762, 781, 782and the window 85. Accordingly, the seal 87 may be compressed betweenthe supporting surface 761, 762, 781, 782 and the window 85.

Deep ultraviolet (UVC) light may have low transmittance, and highreflectivity and high scattering rates because deep ultraviolet lighthas a wavelength shorter than that of visible light and energy higherthan that of visible light. Accordingly, when the window 85 is based ona usual transparent plastic material, transmittance of ultraviolet lightis less than 50%. Energy of ultraviolet light that is not transmittedmay degrade the material of the window 85. Thus, when the window 85 isbased on a material that has low transmittance of ultraviolet light, thewindow 85 may be degraded and transmittance of ultraviolet light may belowered.

A material that has high transmittance of deep ultraviolet light may beused for the window 85 such that ultraviolet rays of the light source 80may reach a space required to be sterilized. Accordingly, the window 85may include quartz. In addition to quartz, polymethyl methacrylate(PMMA) that has high monomer yield may be used for the window 85. Themonomer yield may be 80% or more such that ultraviolet rays aretransmitted to the extent that the ultraviolet rays may not degrade thewindow 85. Additionally, when fluoro resins are used for the window 85,deep ultraviolet light may not degrade the window member. For instance,a “TEFLON”-based fluoro resin of “DUPONT” may be used as a fluoro resin.

The window 85 may have the shape of a plate and have a predeterminedthickness. In embodiments, the plate may have the shape of a square thatcorrespond to the shape of the window accommodating part 76, 78. Thewindow 85 may have a circular shape, and the like. However, the shape ofthe window member may not be restricted.

The window 85 may include a first surface 851 (lower surface), a secondsurface 852 (upper surface) that is a surface opposite to the firstsurface 851 and a lateral surface 853 that connects the first surface851 and the second surface 852. The first surface 851 may face thenozzle pipe 75, and the second surface 852 may face the light source 80.The first surface 851 and the second surface 852 may bemirror-surface-treated so as to minimize reflection of ultravioletlight. Additionally, when total reflection happens on the first surface(lower surface), ultraviolet light may not reach the inside of thenozzle pipe 75. To prevent this, a radiation angle of the UV LED 83 maynot be wide. The radiation angle may be a maximum of 60 degrees.

Any one of the first surface and the second surface of the window 85 maybe sand-blasted such that the ultraviolet light generated by the lightsource may not concentrate on a specific area. Total reflection may belikely to happen on the first surface. Accordingly, the second surfacemay be sand-blasted. Thus, a sand-blasted surface may be a surface thathas fine curves and that is rough, and through sand blasting,ultraviolet light that is a point light source radiated by the UV LEDmay be converted into a surface light source.

The light-source bracket 77 and the nozzle 71 may face each other withthe window 85 between the light-source bracket 77 and the nozzle 71.Additionally, the substrate base 771 of the light-source bracket 77 mayextend in a direction opposite to the water-supplying hose barb 72 withrespect to the window 85.

The light source 80 may directly radiate ultraviolet light into at leasta portion (first portion) of the inner wall surface of the nozzle pipe75. Ultraviolet light reflected from the first portion may be radiatedonto the inner wall surface (second portion) of the nozzle pipe 75 intowhich ultraviolet light is not directly radiated from the light source80. The inner wall surface of the nozzle pipe 75 may be treated tosuccessfully reflect ultraviolet light such that ultraviolet light isevenly radiated onto the inner wall surface that has various shapes 751,74.

Further, the inner wall surface of the water-supplying hose barb 72 mayalso be treated to successfully reflect ultraviolet light. To this end,the inner wall of the nozzle 71 may be coated with aluminum. Further,the inner wall may be surface-treated to prevent aluminum fromdissolving into water.

The seal 87 may include a lateral-surface encircling part 873 thatcontacts and encircles the lateral surface 853 of the window 85, afirst-surface edge part 871 that is compressed and interposed betweenthe first surface 851 of the window member and the window-bottom-surfacesupporting surface 761 and that connects to the lower end portion of thelateral-surface encircling part 873, and a second-surface edge part 872that is compressed and interposed between the second surface 852 of thewindow member and the window-upper-surface supporting surface 781 of thewindow member and that connects to the upper end portion of thelateral-surface encircling part 873. The first-surface edge part 871 maybe engaged with the sealing protrusion 7611 and may prevent water in thenozzle pipe 75 from flowing into the light-source bracket 77.

The lateral-surface encircling part 873 may touch and contact thewindow-lateral-surface-lower-portion supporting surface 762 and thewindow-lateral-surface-upper-portion supporting surface 782.Accordingly, the lateral-surface encircling part 873 may cover aboundary surface between the window-lateral-surface-lower-portionsupporting surface 762 and the window-lateral-surface-upper-portionsupporting surface 782.

When the window pocket 76 and the seal pocket 78 accommodate the window85 and the seal 87 and are compressed with respect to each other, theseal 87 may seal the water discharging member while being compressed. Inthis state, when a portion where thewindow-lateral-surface-lower-portion supporting surface 762 and thewindow-lateral-surface-upper-portion supporting surface 782 are engagedis ultrasonic-welded, the portion may be firmly welded. Further, aboundary surface between the window-lateral-surface-lower-portionsupporting surface 762 and the window-lateral-surface-upper-portionsupporting surface 782 that melts in the process of ultrasonic weldingmay be more firmly integrated into the lateral-surface encircling part873 of the seal 87.

According to the water discharging member 70 of implementations, theseal 87 may be compressed by a force that contacts the nozzle 71 and thelight-source bracket 77 to couple the nozzle 71 and the light-sourcebracket 77, and a boundary surface between thewindow-lateral-surface-lower-portion supporting surface 762 and thewindow-lateral-surface-upper-portion supporting surface 782, which meltsin the process of ultrasonic welding, may be integrated with the seal87. Thus, the water discharging member may be easily manufactured andmay be definitely sealed.

The nozzle pipe 75 may include a key 752 that radially protrudes outwardfrom the outer circumference thereof. The key 752 may be provided in thelower end portion of the small diameter part 754 of the nozzle pipe 75.The key 752 may fix the water discharging member 70 to the dispenserhousing 50.

With reference to FIG. 2 and FIGS. 8 to 10, a structure where a waterdischarging member is installed will be described. The water dischargingmember 70 may be installed in a nozzle supporting part (or nozzlesupport) 551 of a dispenser housing 50.

The nozzle support 551 may include a nozzle coupling hole 56 that hasthe shape of a hole that is penetrated upward and downward. The nozzlecoupling hole 56 may have the shape of a circular hole and may have aninner diameter that corresponds to outer diameter of the small diameterpart 754 of the water discharging member 70. Accordingly, when the smalldiameter part 754 of the nozzle pipe 75 is inserted into the nozzlesupporting part 551, the water discharging member 70 may only moveupward and downward and rotate around the axis (O).

A key groove 57 that extends upward and downward may be provided in thenozzle coupling hole 56. The key groove 57 may be a passage where thekey 752 is accommodated and may move while the small diameter part 754of the nozzle pipe 75 is inserted into the nozzle support 551. The waterdischarging member 70 may not rotate when the key is accommodated in thekey groove.

A coupling space 59 that extends by a predetermined angle in a directionof the perimeter of the circumference may be provided in the lower endportion of the key groove 57. When the water discharging member 70rotates by the predetermined angle when the small diameter part 754 ofthe nozzle pipe is inserted into the nozzle coupling hole 56, the key752 may move from the key groove 57 to the coupling space 59. In otherwords, an angle at which the water discharging member 70 may rotate maybe limited to a range of the extension of the coupling space 59.

The lateral surface of the key 752 that is moved to the coupling space59 may contact the lateral wall of the coupling space 59 while the uppersurface of the key contacts a supporting surface 58 that is provided inthe lower portion of the nozzle support 551. In other words, therotation and upward movement of the water discharging member 70 may belimited in the state where the key 752 is coupled into the couplingspace 59.

The downward movement of the water discharging member 70 may be limitedby interference of the outer surface of the funnel part 753 of the waterdischarging member 70 and the nozzle support 551. Specifically, in thenozzle support 551, the funnel accommodating hole 561 that has an innerdiameter greater than that of the nozzle coupling hole 56 may beprovided in the upper portion of the nozzle coupling hole 56. The funnelaccommodating hole 561 may be a space in which the funnel part 753 maybe accommodated.

An inclined surface 565 that corresponds to the outer surface of thefunnel part may be provided in the upper portion of the funnelaccommodating hole 561. The inclined surface 565 may have the shape of ahole the diameter of which becomes larger toward the upper portionthereof. The inclined surface 565 may guide the water discharging member70 such that the water discharging member is fitted into the nozzlecoupling hole 56 in the step where the water discharging member 70 isinitially inserted. The inclined surface 565 may interfere with theouter circumferential surface of the funnel part 753 when the waterdischarging member 70 is inserted and the key 752 reaches a height thesame as that of the coupling space 59 so as to prevent the waterdischarging member 70 from moving further downward.

The water discharging member 70 may be inserted to a depth defined bythe nozzle support 551 and then rotated by the predetermined angle.Thus, the water discharging member 70 may be installed.

Referring to FIG. 2, the water discharging member 70 may be provided atthe front of the discharge funnel 54 when the water discharging member70 is installed, As described above, the upper space of the nozzlesupport 551 may be narrow in the front-rear direction while slightlyspacious in the left-right direction.

The light-source bracket 77 of the water discharging member 70 mayextend to the left with respect to the nozzle pipe 75, thewater-supplying hose barb 72 may extend to the right with respect to thenozzle pipe 75, and the water discharging member may be installed in thespace in a compact manner. Further, the water-supplying hose barb 72 mayextend backward and upward. Accordingly, the water-supplying-partconnecting pipe may avoid the discharge funnel 54.

In a refrigerator with a dispenser that may sterilize bacterial usingultraviolet light, bacteria may be periodically sterilized withultraviolet light. For instance, the light source 80 may be turned onfor five minutes per hour. That is, the light source may be turned onfor five minutes and turned off for 55 minutes.

The ultraviolet sterilization may also be performed with the user'sinstruction. Even in this case, the ultraviolet sterilization may beperformed for about five minutes.

On condition that ultraviolet light has the same peak wavelength,efficiency of ultraviolet sterilization may be proportional to intensityof ultraviolet light and a period of time for which ultraviolet light isradiated. It may take five minutes to sterilize about 99.99 or more % ofthe above-described bacterial using the UV LED of implementations.

In a water discharging member according to embodiments, a structurewhere an ultraviolet light source is installed, and a structure wherewater is supplied to a nozzle part of the water discharging memberextend may be provided in directions opposite to each other with respectto the nozzle part, thereby making it possible to allow the waterdischarging member to have a compact structure while a ultravioletsterilization structure is applied to the water discharging member. Thewater discharging member according to embodiments may radiateultraviolet light of a peak wavelength with high sterilizing power,thereby enhancing efficiency of sterilization.

The water discharging member according to embodiments may radiate deepultraviolet (UVC) light through a window member that transmits deepultraviolet light effectively, thereby enhancing efficiency ofsterilization. The water discharging member according to embodiments mayincrease reflectivity of ultraviolet light of a surface to be sterilizedand allow ultraviolet light to reach the surface to be sterilized as awhole, thereby enhancing efficiency of sterilization.

The water discharging member according to embodiments may have astructure where a direction in which two parts that accommodate a windowmember and a sealing member are coupled is matched with a directionwhere the sealing member is compressed, such that the two parts arewelded in the state where the sealing part is compressed by the forcethat couples the two parts, thereby making it possible to easilymanufacture the water discharging member and make the water dischargingmember definitely watertight. The water discharging member according toembodiments may include a key, and a dispenser housing in which thewater discharging member is installed may include a key groove that isengaged with and fixed to the key, thereby making it possible to easilyassemble the water discharging member and definitely fix the same.

A water discharging member according to an embodiment may include anozzle pipe 75 one end of which introduces water, the other end of whichdischarges water and that has an inner space where water flows; a lightsource 80 that radiates ultraviolet light from one end of the nozzlepipe 75 to the inner space of the nozzle pipe 75; and a window member 85that is disposed between one end of the nozzle pipe 75 and the lightsource, that divides the inner space of the nozzle pipe and an areawhere the light source is disposed and that transmits ultraviolet lightradiated from the light source 80 to the nozzle pipe 75. At least a partof an inner wall surface of the nozzle pipe 75 may directly face thelight source and receive ultraviolet light. The other part of the innerwall surface of the nozzle pipe 75 may receive ultraviolet light that isreflected from at least a part of the inner wall surface of the nozzlepipe 75, which directly faces the light source and receives the light.

The window member may be accommodated in a window accommodating part 76,78. A space defined by the window accommodating part 76, 78 may have ashape that corresponds to that of the window member and may be largerthan that of the window member. The window accommodating part 76, 78 maybe provided with a supporting surface 761, 762, 781, 782 that faces thewindow member accommodated in the window accommodating part.

A water-supplying-part connecting pipe 72 may connect to one end of thenozzle pipe 75. The water-supplying-part connecting pipe 72 may connectto the nozzle pipe close to the window accommodating part. Thewater-supplying-part connecting pipe 72 may connect with a lateralsurface of the nozzle pipe 75.

At least a part of the inner wall surface of the water-supplying-partconnecting pipe 72 may directly face the light source and receiveultraviolet light. The other part of the inner wall surface of thewater-supplying-part connecting pipe 72 may receive ultraviolet lightthat is reflected from at least a part of the inner wall surface of thewater-supplying-part connecting pipe 72, which directly faces the lightsource.

The inner wall surfaces of the nozzle pipe 75 and/or thewater-supplying-part connecting pipe 72 may be surface-treated so as tosuccessfully reflect ultraviolet light. The inner wall surfaces may becoated with aluminum.

The light source 80 may be installed in a light-source installing part77. The light-source installing part 77 may be disposed opposite thewater-supplying-part connecting pipe 72 with the window accommodatingpart between the light-source installing part and thewater-supplying-part connecting pipe. The light-source installing part77 may extend in a direction opposite to the direction where thewater-supplying-part connecting pipe 72 extends with respect to thenozzle pipe 75.

The light source 80 may include a substrate 81, a UV LED 83 (ultravioletlight-emitting diode) that is installed at one end of the substrate 81,and a connector 82 that is installed at the other end of the substrate81. The UV LED may be installed on a first surface of the substrate 81,and the connector 82 may be installed on a second surface opposite tothe first surface of the substrate 81.

The light-source installing part 77 may include a substrate fixing part771 in which the substrate 81 is accommodated, and a fixing protrusion772 that prevents the substrate 81 accommodated in the substrate fixingpart 771 from escaping. The fixing protrusion 772 may support a lateralsurface of the substrate 81.

A light passing hole 773 may be provided in a portion of thelight-source installing part 77, which faces the UV LED. The windowmember 85 may be seen through the light passing hole 773 from the UV LED83.

The window member 85 may include a first surface 851 that faces thenozzle pipe 75; a second surface 852 that faces the light source 80; anda lateral surface 853 that connects the first surface 851 and the secondsurface 852. The window member 85 may have the shape of a plate that hasa predetermined thickness. The plate may have a square shape or acircular shape.

Quartz, PMMA that has monomer yield of 80% or more, or a “TEFLON”-basedfluoro resin of “DUPONT”, and the like may be used for the window member85. The window accommodating part may include a first-portionaccommodating part 76 and a second-portion accommodating part 78 thatare divided in a portion that faces the lateral surface of the windowmember.

The window accommodating part may be divided into a first-portionaccommodating part 76 that connects with the nozzle pipe 75 and asecond-portion accommodating part 78 that connects with the light-sourceinstalling part 77. The first-portion accommodating part 76 may beintegrally formed with the nozzle part 71. The second-portionaccommodating part 78 may be integrally formed with the light-sourceinstalling part 77.

Portions where the first-portion accommodating part 76 and thesecond-portion accommodating part 78 are divided may be bonded to eachother. The first-portion accommodating part 76 and the second-portionaccommodating part 78 may be ultrasonic-welded and bonded to each other.

The first-portion accommodating part 76 may include a first engagingprotrusion 764 that extends toward the second-portion accommodating part78, while the second-portion accommodating part 78 may include a secondengaging protrusion 784 which extends toward the first-portionaccommodating part 76 and the lateral surface of which faces a lateralsurface of the first engaging protrusion 764. The first-portionaccommodating part 76 and the second-portion accommodating part 78 maybe bonded with least one of a surface (w2) where the surface of thedistal end of the first engaging protrusion 764 faces the second-portionaccommodating part 78, a surface (w1) where the surface of the distalend of the second engaging protrusion 784 faces the first-portionaccommodating part 76, and a surface (w3) where a lateral surface of thefirst engaging protrusion 764 faces a lateral surface of the secondengaging protrusion 784.

An inclined weld surface 785 may be provided on any one of the lateralsurfaces of the first engaging protrusion 764 and the second engagingprotrusion 784 that face each other and may be welded in the step ofultrasonic welding. An upper arranging member 783 may be provided on oneside of the first-portion accommodating part 76, and a lower arrangingmember 763 that has a shape complementary to the upper arranging member783 may be provided on one side of the second-portion accommodating part78. When the first-portion accommodating part 76 and the second-portionaccommodating part 78 are coupled such that the upper arranging member783 and the lower arranging member 763 are engaged with each other, thewater-supplying-part connecting pipe 72 and the light-source installingpart 77 may be extend and arranged in directions opposite to each otherwith respect to the nozzle pipe 75.

When the first-portion accommodating part 76 and the second-portionaccommodating part 78 are arranged so as to face each other and approacheach other in the state where the upper arranging member 783 and thelower arranging member 763 do not meet each other, at least one of theupper arranging member 783 and the lower arranging member 763 mayinterfere with the other, and surfaces of the first-portionaccommodating part 76 and the second-portion accommodating part 78 maynot be contacted. Accordingly, the first-portion accommodating part 76and the second-portion accommodating part 78 may be prevented from beingmisaligned before the first-portion accommodating part 76 and thesecond-portion accommodating part 78 are bonded.

A sealing member 87 may be accommodated in the window accommodatingpart. The sealing member 87 may be interposed between the window memberand the supporting surface. The sealing member 87 may include alateral-surface encircling part 873 that is disposed between the lateralsurface 853 of the window member and a divided portion of the windowaccommodating member. Accordingly, the divided portion may be definitelysealed.

The lateral-surface encircling part 873 may face and contact a bondedportion of the first-portion accommodating part 76 and thesecond-portion accommodating part 78. The first-portion accommodatingpart 76 may include a first-surface supporting surface 761 that facesthe edge of a first surface, and the sealing member 87 may include afirst-surface edge part 871 that is disposed between the first-surfacesupporting surface 761 and the first surface 851.

A sealing protrusion 7611 that has the shape of a closed loop and thatpressurizes the sealing member 87 may protrude from the first-surfacesupporting surface 761. Accordingly, the first surface that is placednear a space where water flows may be sealed, thereby making it possibleto increase water tightness.

The second-portion accommodating part 78 may include a second-surfacesupporting surface 781 that faces the edge of a second surface, and thesealing member 87 may include a second-surface edge part 872 that isdisposed between the second-surface supporting surface 781 and thesecond surface 852. The first-surface edge part 871 and thelateral-surface encircling part 873 may connect with each other. Thesecond-surface edge part 872 and the lateral-surface encircling part 873may connect with each other.

The first-surface edge part 871 may connect to one end of thelateral-surface encircling part 873, and the second-surface edge part872 may connect to the other end of the lateral-surface encircling part.The first-surface edge part 871 and the second-surface edge part 872 mayface each other with the lateral-surface encircling part 873 between thefirst-surface edge part and the second-surface edge part.

A central axis (O) of the nozzle pipe 75 in the lengthwise directionthereof, and a central axis (P) of the water-supplying-part connectingpipe 72 in the lengthwise direction thereof may be disposed so as not tomeet each other and not to be parallel.

The water-supplying-part connecting pipe 72 may communicate with thenozzle pipe 75 while contacting the same such that the central axis (P)of the water-supplying-part connecting pipe 72 in the lengthwisedirection thereof escapes from the inner area of the nozzle pipe 75.Accordingly, water that is supplied to the nozzle pipe 75 through thewater-supplying-part connecting pipe 72 may cause a swirl while flowingalong the perimeter of the inner wall of the nozzle pipe 75. The swirlmay stabilize the flow of water that is discharged from a waterdischarging member and prevent water from remaining in the nozzle pipe75.

The water-supplying-part connecting pipe 72 may extend inclinedly withrespect to a surface (perpendicular plane) perpendicular to the centralaxis (O) of the nozzle pipe 75 in the lengthwise direction thereof.Thus, water may not stagnate in the water-supplying-part connecting pipe72 and may not be left in the nozzle pipe 75 because the water that issupplied through the water-supplying-part connecting pipe 72 may besupplied to the nozzle pipe 75 while having the kinetic energy of adownward motion.

A funnel part 753 that communicates with the water-supplying-partconnecting pipe 72 may be provided at one end of the nozzle pipe 75. Thefunnel part 753 may have a shape the inner diameter of which becomesnarrower from one end of the nozzle pipe 75 to the other end of thenozzle pipe.

The funnel part 753 may have a surface large enough to receiveultraviolet light that is radiated from the light source because one endof the funnel part may have a large diameter.

A small diameter part 754 that has the shape of a cylinder and thatconnects with the funnel part 753 may be provided at the other end ofthe nozzle pipe 75. The small diameter part 754 may connect with thefunnel part 753, and the inner diameter of the small diameter part 754may correspond to the inner diameter of a portion of the funnel part 753that connects with the small diameter part 754.

A laminar-flow protrusion 751 that protrudes inward to the center of thesmall diameter part 754 and that extends in the lengthwise direction ofthe small diameter part 754 may be provided in a portion of the smalldiameter part 754, which is adjacent to the funnel part 753. The watersupplied from the water-supplying-part connecting pipe 72 may movedownward while hovering in the funnel part 753, may be collected in thesmall diameter part 754 and may be turned into laminar flow by thelaminar-flow protrusion 751. Thus, flow of water that is supplied to theuser through the other end of the nozzle pipe 75 may be stabilized.

The light source 80 may radiate ultraviolet light that has a peakwavelength within a range of 265 nm to 275 nm. DNA or RNA of bacteriathat inhabit in a damp environment such as E. coli O157:H7 (ATCC 43894),B. subtilis spore (ATCC 6633), and B. MS2 phage (ATCC 15597-B1) reactssensitively to a wavelength of 270 nm. Accordingly, when a peakwavelength of ultraviolet light radiated from the light source 80 isnear 270 nm, efficiency of sterilization may significantly improve.

In a refrigerator according to an implementation, a dispenser housing 50to which the water discharging member 70 is coupled may be installed ina door 20. The dispenser housing 50 may include a nozzle coupling hole56 that extends vertically and that is engaged with the outercircumferential surface of the nozzle pipe 75 of the water dischargingmember 70. Thus, the water discharging member 70 may be installed in thedispenser housing 50 while the position of the water discharging memberis exactly regulated.

The nozzle pipe 75 may be provided with a key 752 that radiallyprotrudes outward on the outer circumferential surface of the other endthereof. A key groove 57 that extends in the lengthwise direction of thenozzle coupling hole 56 may be provided in an inner surface of thenozzle coupling hole 56 such that the key 752 passes through.

A coupling space 59 that extends in the circumferential direction andthat communicates with the key groove 57 may be provided in the lowerend portion of the nozzle coupling hole 56, and a supporting surface 58that supports the upper surface of the key 752 may be provided in theupper end portion of the coupling space 59. Accordingly, the nozzle pipe75 may be inserted into the nozzle coupling hole 56 in the lengthwisedirection of the nozzle coupling hole 56.

When the nozzle pipe 75 rotates after being inserted into the nozzlecoupling hole, the key 752 may move circumferentially into the couplingspace 59. Then the key 752 may be supported by the supporting surface 58and may prevent the nozzle pipe 75 from escaping. The funnel part 753that has a shape the outer diameter of which becomes narrower from oneend of the nozzle pipe 75 to the other end of the nozzle pipe may beprovided at one end of the nozzle pipe 75, and the small diameter part754 that has the shape of a cylinder and that connects with the funnelpart 753 may be provided in the other end of the nozzle pipe 75.

The key 752 may be provided on the outer circumferential surface of thesmall diameter part 754, the nozzle coupling hole 56 may be engaged withthe outer circumferential surface of the small diameter part 754, adepth to which the nozzle pipe 75 is inserted into the nozzle couplinghole 56 may be regulated by interference of the funnel part 753 and thedispenser housing 50. A portion of the dispenser housing 50, whichinterferes with the funnel part 753 has a space greater than that of thesmall diameter part 754. Accordingly, the portion of the dispenserhousing 50, which interferes with the funnel part 753, may guide thewater discharging member such that the water discharging member isassembled.

Effects of a water discharging member according to embodiments and arefrigerator that is provided with a dispenser having the waterdischarging member are described as follows. The water dischargingmember according to embodiments may have a compact structure and,accordingly, may be easily installed in a narrow door of therefrigerator and readily maintained and repaired.

The inner wall surface of the water discharging member according toembodiments, which contacts water, may be definitely sterilized and,accordingly, the water discharging member may not need to be replacedwith a new one due to bacterial growth.

The water discharging member according to embodiments may have a simplestructure and may be easily manufactured although a water tightstructure is applied to the water discharging member. The waterdischarging member according to embodiments may be definitelywater-tightened although the water discharging member may have a simplestructure and may be easily manufactured.

The water discharging member according to embodiments may take up littlespace although ultraviolet sterilization is applied to the waterdischarging member, and, accordingly, volume of the refrigerator mayincrease. The inner wall surface of the water discharging memberaccording to embodiments may be definitely sterilized while the waterdischarging member has a compact structure.

Embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented as a refrigeratorcomprising a cabinet having a storage space, and a door configured toopen or close the storage space, the door having a dispenser. Thedispenser may include a dispenser housing, a nozzle coupling hole formedin a lower portion of the dispenser housing, wherein a key groove isformed in the nozzle coupling hole, a nozzle pipe having a key, thenozzle pipe being configured to be inserted in the nozzle coupling holeand the key groove being configured to be inserted in the key groove tocouple the nozzle pipe to the dispenser housing, a liquid-supplying hosebarb extending, via an elbow, from the nozzle pipe at an inclinationwith respect to the nozzle pipe, and a hose coupled to theliquid-supplying hose barb. The liquid-supplying hose barb may beinclined with respect to a plane perpendicular to an axial direction ofthe nozzle pipe.

The nozzle pipe may include a first end which receives liquid, a secondend through which the liquid is discharged, a funnel space provided atthe first end of the nozzle pipe that communicates with theliquid-supplying hose barb, and a cylindrical space that connects withthe funnel space and provided at the second end of the nozzle pipe. Thefunnel space may have an inner diameter which becomes narrower in adirection from the first end of the nozzle pipe to the second end of thenozzle pipe.

At least one laminar flow protrusion may be provided in the cylindricalspace and protruded inward toward a center of the cylindrical space. Thelaminar flow protrusion may extend in an axial direction of thecylindrical space.

The key may be provided on an outer circumferential surface of a portionof the nozzle pipe that defines the cylindrical space. The nozzlecoupling hole may be engaged with the outer circumferential surface ofthe portion of the nozzle pipe.

An outer diameter of a funnel portion of the nozzle pipe defining thefunnel space may narrow in a direction from the first end to the secondend of the nozzle pipe. A depth to which the nozzle pipe inserted intothe nozzle coupling hole may be based on a contact between the funnelportion and the dispenser housing.

The key groove may extend in a longitudinal direction of the nozzlecoupling hole. The nozzle coupling hole may further comprise a couplingspace provided at a bottom of the nozzle coupling hole and communicatingwith a bottom of the key groove, and a supporting surface defining a topof the coupling space to support an upper surface of the key.

The liquid-supplying hose barb may be positioned such that a centralaxis of the nozzle pipe and a central axis of the liquid-supplying hosebarb do not intersect with each other.

Embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented as a liquid dispensercomprising a nozzle pipe including a first section having a firstpassage and a second section having a second passage communicating withthe first passage, wherein the second passage has a cylindrical shapewith a diameter smaller than a diameter of the first passage, a windowpocket provided above the first section of the nozzle pipe, a lightsource provided above the window pocket and configured to emitultraviolet light into the first passage, a window provided in thewindow pocket to be between the first passage and the light source, anelbow branched from the first section of the nozzle pipe at aninclination with respect to the nozzle pipe, a liquid-supplying hosebarb extending from the elbow at the inclination, and a hose coupled tothe liquid-supplying house barb. A center axis of the first section ofthe nozzle pipe may not intersect with a center axis of theliquid-supplying hose barb such that liquid discharged from the elbowand entering the liquid-supplying hose barb may flow along the firstsection of the nozzle pipe in a swirling flow.

An inner space of the elbow may communicate with the nozzle pipe suchthat a central axis of the elbow passes through an inner area of thenozzle pipe. A central axis of the liquid-supplying hose barb may bepositioned to pass outside of an inner area of the nozzle pipe.

The liquid-supplying hose barb may be inclined with respect to a planewhich may be perpendicular to a central axis of the nozzle pipe. Theelbow may be configured to connect with the nozzle pipe to contact anouter surface of the nozzle pipe.

The nozzle pipe may include a first end which receives liquid and asecond end through which the liquid may be discharged, and the firstpassage may have an inner diameter which becomes narrower in a directionfrom the first end of the nozzle pipe toward the second end of thenozzle pipe.

A laminar flow protrusion may be provided in the second passage andprotrude inward from an inner surface of the second section toward acenter of the second passage. The laminar flow protrusion may extend inan axial direction of the second passage.

An inner surface of the liquid-supplying hose barb and an inner surfaceof the nozzle pipe may be coated with aluminum. A seal may be providedin the window pocket between the window and a wall of the window pocket.A light-source bracket that may be provided at a side of the nozzle pipewhich may be opposite to a side of the nozzle pipe from which theliquid-supplying hose barb extends.

Embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented as a liquid dispensercomprising a pipe extending in a first direction and having a firstpassage, a hose barb extending in a second direction which may beinclined with respect to the first direction, the hose barb having asecond passage, an elbow to connect the hose barb and the nozzle pipe,wherein the elbow and hose barb are configured such that a center axisof the second passage does not intersect with a center axis of the firstpassage, and a frame having a third passage provided above andcommunicating with the first passage. The frame may be configured toreceive a lens in the third passage.

It will be understood that when an element or layer is referred to asbeing “on” another element or layer, the element or layer can bedirectly on another element or layer or intervening elements or layers.In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly on”another element or layer, there are no intervening elements or layerspresent. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and allcombinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

It will be understood that, although the terms first, second, third,etc., may be used herein to describe various elements, components,regions, layers and/or sections, these elements, components, regions,layers and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These termsare only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer orsection from another region, layer or section. Thus, a first element,component, region, layer or section could be termed a second element,component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachingsof the present invention.

Spatially relative terms, such as “lower”, “upper” and the like, may beused herein for ease of description to describe the relationship of oneelement or feature to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated inthe figures. It will be understood that the spatially relative terms areintended to encompass different orientations of the device in use oroperation, in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. Forexample, if the device in the figures is turned over, elements describedas “lower” relative to other elements or features would then be oriented“upper” relative to the other elements or features. Thus, the exemplaryterm “lower” can encompass both an orientation of above and below. Thedevice may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at otherorientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used hereininterpreted accordingly.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particularembodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. Asused herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended toinclude the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicatesotherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises”and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify thepresence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements,and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of oneor more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements,components, and/or groups thereof.

Embodiments of the disclosure are described herein with reference tocross-section illustrations that are schematic illustrations ofidealized embodiments (and intermediate structures) of the disclosure.As such, variations from the shapes of the illustrations as a result,for example, of manufacturing techniques and/or tolerances, are to beexpected. Thus, embodiments of the disclosure should not be construed aslimited to the particular shapes of regions illustrated herein but areto include deviations in shapes that result, for example, frommanufacturing.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientificterms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by oneof ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. It will befurther understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly useddictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that isconsistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art andwill not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unlessexpressly so defined herein.

Any reference in this specification to “one embodiment,” “anembodiment,” “example embodiment,” etc., means that a particularfeature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with theembodiment is included in at least one embodiment. The appearances ofsuch phrases in various places in the specification are not necessarilyall referring to the same embodiment. Further, when a particularfeature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection withany embodiment, it is submitted that it is within the purview of oneskilled in the art to effect such feature, structure, or characteristicin connection with other ones of the embodiments.

Although embodiments have been described with reference to a number ofillustrative embodiments thereof, it should be understood that numerousother modifications and embodiments can be devised by those skilled inthe art that will fall within the spirit and scope of the principles ofthis disclosure. More particularly, various variations and modificationsare possible in the component parts and/or arrangements of the subjectcombination arrangement within the scope of the disclosure, the drawingsand the appended claims. In addition to variations and modifications inthe component parts and/or arrangements, alternative uses will also beapparent to those skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:
 1. A liquid dispenser, comprising: a nozzle pipeincluding a first section having a first passage and a second sectionhaving a second passage communicating with the first passage, whereinthe second passage has a cylindrical shape with a diameter smaller thana diameter of the first passage; a window pocket provided above thefirst section of the nozzle pipe; a light source provided above thewidow pocket and configured to emit ultraviolet light into the firstpassage; a window provided in the window pocket to be between the firstpassage and the light source; an elbow branched from the first sectionof the nozzle pipe at an inclination with respect to the nozzle pipe; aliquid-supplying hose barb extending from the elbow at the inclination;and a hose coupled to the liquid-supplying house barb, wherein a centeraxis of the first section of the nozzle pipe does not intersect with acenter axis of the liquid-supplying hose barb such that liquiddischarged from the elbow and entering the liquid-supplying hose barbflows along the first section of the nozzle pipe in a swirling flow. 2.The liquid dispenser of claim 1, wherein a central axis of theliquid-supplying hose barb is positioned to pass outside of an innerarea of the nozzle pipe.
 3. The liquid dispenser of claim 1, wherein theelbow is configured to connect with the nozzle pipe to contact an outersurface of the nozzle pipe.
 4. The liquid dispenser of claim 1, furthercomprising a laminar flow protrusion provided in the second passage andprotruding inward from an inner surface of the second section toward acenter of the second passage, the laminar flow protrusion extending inan axial direction of the second passage.
 5. The liquid dispenser ofclaim 1, wherein an inner surface of the liquid-supplying hose barb andan inner surface of the nozzle pipe are coated with aluminum.
 6. Theliquid dispenser of claim 1, further comprising a seal provided in thewindow pocket between the window and a wall of the window pocket.
 7. Theliquid dispenser of claim 1, further comprising a light-source bracketthat is provided at a side of the nozzle pipe which is opposite to aside of the nozzle pipe from which the liquid-supplying hose barbextends.
 8. The liquid dispenser of claim 1, wherein an inner space ofthe elbow communicates with the nozzle pipe such that a central axis ofthe elbow passes through an inner area of the nozzle pipe.
 9. The liquiddispenser of claim 8, wherein the liquid-supplying hose barb is inclinedwith respect to a plane which is perpendicular to a central axis of thenozzle pipe.
 10. The liquid dispenser of claim 9, wherein: the nozzlepipe includes a first end which receives liquid and a second end throughwhich the liquid is discharged, and the first passage has an innerdiameter which becomes narrower in a direction from the first end of thenozzle pipe toward the second end of the nozzle pipe.
 11. A liquiddispenser, comprising: a pipe extending in a first direction and havinga first passage; a hose barb extending in a second direction which isinclined with respect to the first direction, the hose barb having asecond passage; an elbow to connect the hose barb and the nozzle pipe,wherein the elbow and hose barb are configured such that a center axisof the second passage does not intersect with a center axis of the firstpassage; and a frame having a third passage provided above andcommunicating with the first passage, wherein the frame is configured toreceive a lens in the third passage.